


The Eye Sees Not Itself

by FahcLove



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Eyes, Jonah Magnus - Freeform, Pre-Canon, Speculation, Spoilers for 154, Statement Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 18:06:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21040484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FahcLove/pseuds/FahcLove
Summary: Statement of Elias Bouchard, regarding a book that has begun speaking to him. Original statement given November 18th, 1995. Audio recording by Jonathan Sims, The Archivist.Jon finally finds out about Elias.





	The Eye Sees Not Itself

ARCHIVIST:

I had decided to continue listening to more tapes from Gertrude’s box that The Eye does not want me to hear - there were already couple I’d discovered that my hands don’t want to land on - when I found this written statement at the very bottom of the box, shoved underneath and behind all of the tapes, wrinkled and folded, as if someone really didn’t want Gertrude to read this. Or me, it seems, as my eyes are having a hard time focusing on the words on the page. I have taken to wearing my glasses to read this properly, something I haven’t done since I woke up from my coma. 

I am getting off track, apologies. 

Statement of Elias Bouchard, regarding a book that has begun speaking to him. Original statement given November 18th, 1995. Audio recording by Jonathan Sims, The Archivist. 

Statement begins.

ARCHIVIST (STATEMENT):

I don’t know if this is going to work. I stole a statement form from Michael Shelly’s desk when I asked him to go make me a cup of tea. He’s so nice in that way, you know? He’s never looked at me with that face whenever he finds me high in Artifact Storage. You know that face, where no matter what height they are, it always looks like they’re a giant with their face twisted in a disapproving frown as if they’re my parents or something. Eric had always looked at me like that, even if I’m not high, but Michael never has. Whenever he walks in on me, he’ll always ask how I’m doing and talk to me for a bit. A few times he’s sat with me and listened as I talked on and on about whatever was on my mind at the time. 

Sorry, I’m rambling. It’s weird how I can manage to ramble on a written piece of paper, but I guess I’m so nervous I’ll do anything to not talk about why I’m writing a statement in the first place. 

So I asked Michael to make me a cup of tea, and when he left I went through his desk and stole this. Then I stuffed it into my pocket and drank the tea Michael made for me, and when I was done I made some excuse and ran into the nearest closet and locked it behind me and started writing this. 

I would make an “official statement” to Gertrude, but I know she doesn’t like me and I don’t think she would believe me. She would probably make a report about how I was “wasting her valuable time and resources” and it would be too late. 

So I’m writing this on stolen statement paper and I plan to shove this under Gertrude’s door so she can read this and believe me. Or maybe I’ll just leave it here and Michael can find it. Or maybe whatever sad sack takes Gertrude’s place when she eventually croaks will read this and believe me. 

Sorry, rambling again. I just really don’t want to write this. I don’t know what’s gonna happen to me when I’m done. 

It all started pretty normally. I was in the Artifact Storage, as I usually am when I want to get high. No one ever goes in there, everyone thinks its too creepy. I like it, all the cool artifacts that each have their own story that would take me millions of years to go through fascinates me. And because no one bothers me when I’m in there, except for the Archive Assistants, but none of them move me, and no one even tries since Eric quit. Michael just chats with me for a bit, and Emma will just roll her eyes, grab what she needs, and move on. 

So there I was, relaxing in Artifact Storage when something catches my eye. I was sitting across from the door, which isn’t where I usually sit, but I was feeling a little pissy and wanted to be more defiant than usual. Anyway, I was sitting on the ground, and I looked a little to my left and saw something shiny hidden behind a strange mask and a brown box. I was a little high and lot curious, so I pulled it out. It was a book, titled “The Life of Jonah Magnus” and had a chrome eye on the spine, which was the thing that caught my eye in the first place. 

Now, I’m not stupid. I know what goes on in The Magnus Institute, I know why no one likes Artifact Storage. I know everything in there is spooky and cursed and dangerous, Michael’s warned me about it at least ten times. 

But, I recognized the name. Jonah Magnus as in the founder of the  _ Magnus _ Institute. There’s a huge painting of him up in the library and I have to stand under it every day, feeling his huge blue eyes stare down my spine as if he could actually see me do nothing. So I know who Jonah Magnus is, I know what he did, and I was really confused about why his biography was in Artifact Storage. I was sure it was misplaced, and before you scoff, it does happen sometimes. People get the library and Artifact Storage confused, especially if it’s a book. We’ve had some people find some pretty dangerous books in the library (the Incident of 1987 for example), and “A Brief History Of Time” was found in Artifact Storage last year. So I didn’t think anything would happen if I skimmed through it, make sure it was real before I gave it to Tien to put with all the other Stephen Hawking books. 

I think about that moment when I opened the book. A million things could’ve happened. Michael could’ve walked in a told me to stop. Emma probably would’ve just looked at me and sighed, and I probably would’ve stopped from sheer embarrassment. Gertrude could’ve even walked in, snatched it from me, and read it herself. But no one walked in at that very moment, or the moment after, or the moment after, so I opened the book and I read “The Life of Jonah Magnus”.

It was pretty normal at first, just the title page and an eye. I wasn’t too surprised, actually, to see eyes all over Jonah Magnus’ book. You’d never notice it if you just stop by, but there’s a lot of little eyes all over the Institute. And his painting that always feels like it’s watching you. So seeing that huge eye on the title page didn’t bother me, and I flipped the page.

And it was blank. 

There wasn’t even a chapter title. It was just a completely blank page, no number at the bottom, no ink spilled in the corner, no ghost of writing at all. It was strange, but I shrugged it off, turning to the next page. Which was also blank. As was the next, and the next, and the next. I was ready to give up on the book altogether, just toss it and move on, when I finally came to a page with writing on it. Written in what looked like ink, in very fancy writing, was the words “The Eye Sees. The Eye Feeds”. And nothing else. Every other page was just as blank as the ones that came before it. So, confused and started to feel a little scared, I read the words aloud. 

I wonder, if I didn’t read that, if I would still be okay. If he wouldn’t be here. 

When I read those simple six words aloud, it felt like every light in the room got dimmer, and every single eye was turned to look at me. Which didn’t make sense, because there were no eyes in Artifact Storage. It was just me. But I felt like there were hundreds or even millions of eyes peeking through the wall to stare at me. I wanted to turn around, to see them for myself, but I couldn’t tear my eyes from the book, which was now writing something else, in that same black ink, same fancy writing. 

_ Hello there _ , the book wrote and before I could even comprehend it, I pulled a pen I didn’t know I had out of my pocket and wrote something back. 

_ Who is this? Is this real? _ I scrawled, and I slowly watched the ink write something back to me. 

_ My name is Jonah Magnus _ , the book wrote, and I wanted to drop that book so hard, just close it and walk away. But fear and curiosity froze me in place and I could only watch as more words were written,  _ I was cursed to this empty book. You could free me if you wanted. I know how to help you. _

Before I could even comprehend it, I wrote back,  _ How do I do that? _

As I watched the ink settle in and Jonah slowly write back, the door slammed open and Emma walked in, her normally bland gaze turned fierce. It looked like she had been crying.

“Elias,” she said, sounding so angry, yet so sad, and it was as if a spell was broken. I dropped the book and backed away from it, “Don’t touch this stuff,” she said simply, picking it up and setting it on one of the shelves.

I didn’t know what to do. I had never seen Emma cry before. So I just stood up and stumbled out the door, barely even noticing that she slammed it behind me.

And like a switch was flipped, the strangeness of the whole situation hit me. I was just talking to a freaking book. A  book ! In Artifact Storage, of all places. That was so dangerous, and I knew the risks. 

I didn’t know what to do, where to go. I just wandered around the Institute, and before long found myself in the Archive Library, organizing all the files, trying to distract myself from the insanity that just occurred. 

I’ll be honest, I thought about making a statement. Just grab the book, walk into Gertrude’s office and tell her about it. But that was stupid.

For the rest of the week, I didn’t go back to Artifact Storage, doing anything but entering that room. I got high in one of the secret corners of the Library, I sat in the break room, I hung out with coworkers I barely talked to, including Michael. That was how I knew he had statements in his drawer in the first place. When I was talking to him, he mentioned how often he had to print hundreds of copies of this stuff, since so many people come in and give statements. 

But, no matter what I did, I couldn’t distract myself from the book. Any moment when I wasn’t smoking, or talking, or working, my mind drifted back to the book, and back to Jonah Magnus. 

How could I help him? How could help me? What did I even need help with? My mind buzzed with questions, overwhelming and overflowing. I knew I had to go back, to find out how to help him, to find out what he’s giving me, and then I could leave it alone. I didn’t even have to do whatever he wanted, I just had to  _ know _ .

So I suck back into Artifact Storage. Well, I wouldn’t say “snuck” since I had every right to be there as an employee. But it felt like I was sneaking. I felt like I was breaking some secret rule, but it didn’t stop me. 

I made my way to where Emma had put the book, I didn’t even see her put it away but I somehow knew where it was. Opening it, I immediately flipped to the page that Jonah and I had been writing on, seeing words written on it in Jonah’s familiar scrawl.

_ I’m glad you came back Elias, I was so sure you would just leave me here to rot,  _ he said, and I couldn’t stop myself from grinning. 

You know what I just realized? I never told him my name. 

It didn’t occur to me then, so I answered him,  _ Sorry for taking so long. How do I free you? And what are you going to give me in return? _

_ My, my, you’re an eager one, aren’t you? Freeing me is very simple, actually. You just have to eat this page. _

I blanched,  _ What????? _ I wrote back, wanting to shut the book and walk away. But I didn’t. I sat and watched as he scrawled more words on the page. 

_ Not the whole thing, just half. It doesn’t taste as bad as it looks, I assure you. Then I’ll give you what you want. _

_ What do I  _ want _ ? _

_ To be better than all the people that have looked down on you, who have scoffed in your face. Your father, who still calls you his daughter. Your boss, who gives you the worst jobs and shrugs when you ask for something better. Eric, who always glared at you and made you feel like an ant under his heel. I will give you the ability to be better than all of them. I will make you the top of this metaphorical food chain. All you have to do is rip this page in half and eat it. _

I don’t know how this man trapped in a book knew so much about my life, but he nailed it on the head. I was overwhelmed with images of Jonah Magnus appearing out of this book and promoting me, of hailing me as better than everyone. I could  _ see  _ it. So, before I could think about it for too long, I furiously ripped the page in half and stuffed it in my mouth. 

Jonah was right, it didn’t taste as bad as it looked. It tasted like I was swallowing old fashioned cologne, the smell exploding out from my mouth and infiltrating my nose, giving me a pounding headache. I had to close my eyes and curl into a ball to stop the pounding. I don’t know how long I laid there, in a corner of Artifact Storage, the book splayed open in front of me, a page ripped in half. But, when I finally opened my eyes, my headache had subsided slightly, the cologne smell all but vanishing. And everything looked the same, except the book looked dull and dusty. I swear I saw a spider crawl past the page, but I didn’t look too hard as I heard a voice. 

“Thank you, Elias,” the deep voice of an old fashioned aristocrat came from behind me. Jonah Magnus. I whipped my head around, expecting to see him in a dapper suit and a monocle, when there was nothing. I looked around. Artifact Storage was empty. 

“Where are you?” I asked, searching around. His voice came from behind me again.

“I am in your head.”

“What?” I whipped my head around again, trying to find him, “If this is some stupid prank, not funny.”

“It is not, I’m afraid. Sadly, when I was trapped inside of that book, I became very weak. Even though you released me, I only exist inside your head. That is, until I gain more strength.”

“And then what?”

“Then we will take my rightful place as the Head of this Institute.”

When he said that, it sent chills down my spine and I suddenly knew I messed up. I immediately ran to the bathroom and tried to vomit up that stupid page but nothing came out. Jonah laughed at me, echoing inside my head.

And it’s been like that for weeks now. Every day he gets a little stronger, controlling just a little bit more of me. Yesterday I walked all the way to James Wright's office and almost opened the door before I stopped myself. He just made a comment about “Seeing my replacement”. That was when I knew I had to make some sort of statement. I don’t think I have long in this body. Soon he’s going to take my spot and I’m going to be stuck inside my own head, watching as he goes out and pretends to me. 

I don’t think I can be saved, unless I find whoever bound him to the book in the first place, which is probably impossible. I just wanted to write this, so in the future, when Jonah Magnus pretending to be me destroys the world, at least someone will know that it’s not really me. That I didn’t want to do this. I don’t want this. It’s not me. 

_ Archivist note: The next half of the page is full of scribbles in two different handwritings, as if two people were fighting to write something. It seems the statement ends here. Except, written on the last line, in a completely different handwriting are the words: _

We all make choices, don’t we?

ARCHIVIST: 

Statement ends.

[DEEP SIGH] 

I see why this statement has never seen the light of day. It certainly makes sense, for several different reasons: How Elias managed to secure the Head of Institute position when his track record was...not impressive. How he managed to go from a complete stoner to the Elias we know now. And the mystery of Jonah Magnus.

I do not know if the real Elias Bouchard is still in there, but if he is, I wonder if there is a way to save him. To trap Jonah Magnus back in the book that caged him for a century or so. I wonder if The Web had anything to do with it, Elias mentioned seeing a spider, and they do have a habit of binding people to things. 

[SILENCE. THE SOUND OF A TAPE RECORDER WHIRRING IN THE DISTANCE]

I have to go tell Basira. She’ll want to hear this. 

**Author's Note:**

> Look. LOOK. I'm not saying this is canon. I'm just saying that if Elias was possed by Jonah Magnus....I would not be surprised. 
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr if you want! My username is Fahclove!


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